The Arizona Wildcats are projected to land this former UNC guard
New head coach Mike Malone and North Carolina have made it a priority to retain the six Tar Heels who entered the transfer portal after Hubert Davis was fired, but keeping starting point guard Derek Dixon is looking increasingly unlikely.
Dixon, who ran the point for UNC over the latter half of the season, is now projected by 247Sports’ Crystal Ball to land at Arizona. The Wildcats, coming off their first Final Four appearance since 2001, have recruited Dixon aggressively since he entered the portal on April 6.
If he departs, he would become the second Tar Heel to leave, following Jonathan Powell, who committed to Pittsburgh on April 11.
Carolina initially turned to Kyan Evans to run the offense, allowing Dixon to develop and provide valuable minutes off the bench, but Evans’ inconsistency pushed coach Hubert Davis to reconsider the backcourt rotation. Dixon was not a 20-point-per-game scorer, but North Carolina’s offense ran noticeably smoother with him in control.
A former Gonzaga Prep standout from the DMV, Dixon quickly seized the starting job. He steadied the Tar Heels in a road comeback win at Kentucky on Dec. 2, then posted a then-career-high 14 points against Georgetown five days later.
Dixon solidified his role for the rest of the season when he scored 11 points and handed out seven assists in UNC’s upset win at Virginia on Jan. 24, a turning point for the Tar Heels after a 2-3 start in ACC play.
Dixon averaged 6.5 points, 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 33 games, including 16 starts, while shooting 81.8 percent at the free-throw line.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
